What is a Clinical Physiologist (Respiratory)?

Clinical Physiologist (Respiratory) is a health care occupation in the field of diagnostic studies relating to lung function. These studies measure things like lung size, the efficiency of breathing and gas exchange, how irritable a person’s airways are, and respiratory muscle strength. These studies are made on children and adults with respiratory diseases and disorders, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD and emphysema.

These studies are used by your doctor to better understand the nature and extent of your breathing problem. They are also used to tailor prescription of respiratory medications in a number of respiratory diseases. Sometimes a doctor will request respiratory studies to help assess breathing risk from major surgery, treatment options or to explore whether a patient’s breathlessness is due to lung or heart problems.

Clinical Physiologists (Respiratory) are also known in Australia as Respiratory Scientists or Respiratory Technologists.

Find out More.

If you would like to find out more information about respiratory health please see the following Australian websites:

Lung Foundation

Asthma Australia

National Asthma Council Australia